Flexible grade stake with driving tool



R. E. MARTIN FLEXIBLE GRADE STAKE WITH DRIVING TOOL June 23, 1910 FiledFeb 20. 1967 INVENTOR 3,516,171 FLEXIBLE GRADE STAKE WITH DRIVING TOOLRoss E. Martin, 1138 SW. Military Drive, San Antonio, Tex. 78221 FiledFeb. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 617,267 Int. Cl. G01c 15/08 US. CI. 3374 4Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A high tensile strength, tough,durable, flexible grade stake including visual graduations adapted toassist and guide a grading machine operator in cutting the final gradeof a sub-base for paving. A driving tool including a surveying rod basepin capable of receiving a surveying rod the said driving tool adaptedto enclose the flexible grade stake and receive and transmit a drivingforce sufficient to penetrate compacted soil.

The combination of a flexible grade stake and drving tool designed foruse in the final steps of surveying and grading prior to paving. Thestake is flexible with color graduations above the final grade, thedriving tool includes a survey rod base pin coinciding with the finalgrade level and the blue top coloration on the flexible grade stake. Thestake is driven to final grade survey position and the tool removed,after completing final cut or fill the top of the stake may be removedby cutting and the paving completed.

The final stages of cutting and filling to form a base for paving mustbe accomplished with a high degree of accuracy to avoid thin spots inthe paving material used or unnecessary thick spots which are extremelycostly. The conventional widely used procedure is to fully prepare thepreliminary final grade by cutting, filling, and rolling to a levelslightly above the desired final grade level. Final grade stakescommonly referred to as blue tops are driven into the grade to such aposition that the top of the stake is at the final grade level. Amarking stake is driven into the grade adjacent the blue top. Thesemarking stakes are usually removed by hand just in advance of the gradermaking the final cut. If any additional cut is required, the markingstakes are replaced. If the final out should inadvertently be too deepand the blue top disturbed, they must be surveyed back into position.The foregoing procedures are time consuming, costly, and wasteful ofmanhours.

This invention alleviates many of the objectionable features of theconventional procedures used by placing into the preliminary final gradea flexible grade stake with color graduations. The top of the bluegraduation coincides with the fiinal grade level desired. The one (1)inch color graduations above the blue graduation and the remainder ofthe stake extends above the final grade to assist the grading machineoperator in making his final cut. The base of the stake and its surveyedposition are not disturbed by the blade passing over it. If the cut isexcessive, refill may be added, and if additional cut is required, thestake remains in position to guide the operator. After the final gradeis completed, the top of the flexible grade stake may be removed bycutting and the paving placed into position.

One object of this invention is to reduce the final cost of paving bymarking the final survey in a semi-permanent manner which will not bedisturbed by passage of the grading machine thereby conserving manhours.

Another object is to provide an improved guide to the grading machineoperator making the final cut.

Another object is to assist in obtaining a more accurate United StatesPatent final grade cut, thereby reducing cost of paving while improvingthe quality of the product.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to oneskilled in the art from a study of the specification and claims.

This invention will be more particularly described in the followingseveral views and detailed descriptions wherein like referencecharacters designate like or corresponding components throughout thevarious views.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the flexible grade stake including color codedgraduations.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the driving tool for positioning the stake tothe final survey grade level.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the combination of the flexible grade stake anddriving tool as used in driving the stake to the final survey gradelevel.

FIG. 4 is a plan view partially in section depicting a flexible gradestake as used in the final grading in comparison with the conventionalblue top with marking stake.

FIG. 1 illustrates the general configuration of the flexible grade stake10 which may be constructed of a tough flexible plastic with colorgraduations impregnated therein. Another method of construction couldutilize metal with the elongated portion of the stake comprising of asubstantially flat shaft of spring steel or resilient steel cable mightbe utilized with durable paint for the color coding. The grade stake 10is constructed with a cone shaped point 11 with a driving shoulder 12 atthe junction of the point 11 and the elongated body 13 of the stake. Thebody of the stake includes color graduations selected to contrast withthe color of the soil in the grade. The final grade line 14 is indicatedon the grade stake 10 at the division line between the below final gradeone (1) inch! blue 15 graduation and red 16 graduation extending one (1)inch above final grade. The stake might be constructed with virtuallyany number of one 1) inch color coded graduations. In the preferredembodiment illustrated a one (1) inch green '17 and brown 18 colorgraduations have been selected for utilization above the blue 15 and red16 graduations.

The driving tool 19 as illustrated in FIG. 2 is preferably constructedof thick walled metal pipe or tubing. The driving tool body 20 is ofidentical length to the elongated body 13 of the flexible grade stake10. The driving tool body 20 has an aperture 21 extending for the entirelength of the tool 19. The aperture 21 is of sufficient diameter toreceive the elongated body 13 of the flexible grade stake 10 permittingthe driving tool 19 to rest firmly on the driving shoulder 12 of theflexible grade stake 10. Projecting from the side of the driving tool 19is a survey base pin 22; said pin is attached to the driving tool 19with the upper edge of the surveying base pin 22 exactly coinciding withthe final grade line 14, when the tool 19 is placed in driving positionover the flexible grade stake as in FIG. 3. The driving shoulder 12 ofthe stake 10 is preferably constructed with a diameter approximatelyone-fourth A) inch greater than the diameter of the driving tool tofacilitate removal of the driving tool 19 after the stake 10 has beensurveyed and driven into the grade to the exact depth desired. Thevariation in diameter 23 is illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is illustrative of the prior art method of establishing finalgrade level by utilizing a blue top 24 with a marking stake 25. Acomparable illustration of the flexible grade stake 10 is shown placedin the grade at 26 and in the depressed or flexed position 27 as itwould be as the grader passes over the stake.

The flexible grade stake 10 and the driving tool 19 is designed for usein conjunction with a transit and a surveying rod for surveying thefinal slope for the final cut for grading prior to paving. The finalgrade is determined by the engineering plan. The fill dirt is compactedand the preliminary final grade made. The flexible grade stake anddriving tool is surveyed into position using a transit and a surveyingrod in virtually an identical manner to the conventional practice inplacing the well known blue tops 24 in surveying and grading the finalfinished surface prior to paving.

The utilization of this combined tool 19 and stake 10 is made after thepreliminary final grading has been completed. This grade is normallyslightly above the desired final grade to be accomplished. A smallindentation should be made in the grade to clear the survey rod and thesurveying base pin 22. The driving tool 19 is placed over a grade stake10 and the unit preliminarily driven into the grade. The surveying rodmay then be placed on the surveying base pin 22 and the flexible gradestake 10 tapped into the exact position desired. The device can beutilized without a surveying base pin 22 by subtracting from the rodsetting the distance from the final grade line 14 to the top of thestake or the driving tool which is six (6) inches in the preferredembodiment illustrated. If such an arbitrary adjustment is made, the topof the tool may be utilized as a base for the surveying rod.

After the flexible grade stakes have been properly positioned in thepreliminary final grade, the skilled operator of the grading machine hasan accurate guide to assist him in making his final cut. The color codedgraduations will tell an operator the exact depth of the cut required toarrive at the final grade.

It is believed that a proper utilization of this device will result insubstantial savings in paving construction where exact thicknesses anduniform surfaces are required.

It is recognized that one preferred embodiment of this invention hasbeen illustrated and described in detail and one possible modificationsuggested. Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in theart from a detailed study of this disclosure. It is desired to claim allembodiments or modifications of this device which do not depart from thespirit and scope of this invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a flexible grade stake with a rigid driving tool,

(a) said flexible grade stake comprising a flexible elongated body,

(b) a substantially rigid point secured to the end of said elongatedbody,

(0) a driving shoulder at the juncture of said elongated body and saidrigid point,

(d) said driving tool including an aperture of greater diameter thansaid elongated body but of lesser diameter than the diameter of saiddriving shoulder, said tool being telescopingly received on said bodywith an end thereof engaging the driving shoulder, and

(e) a surveying base pin secured to the exterior of said driving toolconstructed and arranged to receive a surveying rod.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said elongated body of said flexiblegrade stake includes evenly spaced visible graduations adapted to assistthe grading machine operator.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said driving tool includes asurveying pin projecting at substantially right angles to said drivingtool body constructed and arranged to receive a surveying rod.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said elongated body of saidflexible grade stake includes evenly spaced visible graduationscomprising uniformly spaced contrasting multi-colored segments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,780,869 2/ 1957 Long.

2,798,317 7/1957 Hargus.

2,867,041 1/ 1959 McMillan.

3,391,647 3/1968 Shopbell.

3,378,967 4/1968 Baumeister 52-403 X 3,117,378 1/1964 Bowen.

3,307,264 3/ 1967 Wolfe.

HARRY N. HAROIAN, Primary Examiner

